Chapter 225: City of Day (1)
In the center of a spacious area, a black-haired young man lay asleep. A mana-absorbing inscription carved into the floor continuously drained his mana.
Standing just outside the inscription’s effective range, several people watched the young man with worried expressions.
“Solemnise’s Sigma has refused our request.”
“At least Lanchea’s Lambda has agreed to provide support in case of an SS-class monster occurrence, but if multiple incidents happen simultaneously, Lanchea City will take priority.”
SS-class monsters appeared roughly once or twice a month. Though the frequency wasn’t excessively high, the unpredictability of their emergence meant that even securing a promise of support did not bring peace of mind.
Furthermore, to minimize the damage caused by S-class and lower monsters, the city absolutely needed its own SS-class guard.
“It would be too dangerous to wake Alpha without any countermeasures. Especially since we’re so close to the Mana Hall.”
Even an SS-class Awakened with immense power would lose consciousness if their mana was completely drained. The method used to subdue a rampaging Alpha involved cutting off his mana replenishment, waiting for his skills to consume his remaining mana, and then using skills and items that absorbed an opponent’s mana.
Mana potions were carried in only minimal amounts, even by SS-class guards, and the natural mana regeneration of Awakened individuals was extremely low, making this the only viable approach.
“Since he showed signs of delirium, it would be best to wait until we can secure the help of another SS-class guard. For now, let’s make another request to Solemnise City.”
“Make sure no word of Alpha’s current condition gets out.”
A collective sigh escaped the group. It was fortunate that the last SS-class monster appearance had been less than a week ago. That meant at least one more week of safety, during which they had to find a way to stabilize Alpha.
Wiiiiiing— Wiiiiing—
The blaring siren startled me awake. What the— did a dungeon break out nearby…? Wait, where am I?!
‘…Ah, right.’
I flinched at the sight of a building wall blocking my vision before finally recalling last night’s events. I was inside a dungeon.
More precisely, I was in a world that had already perished. A false world where only information remained. I had come here and met someone who looked just like Seong Hyunjae… Just thinking about it made my blood boil again.
I got up. The siren was still wailing. Faint light seeped through the gaps between buildings—morning had arrived.
I should check what’s going on. Activating my stealth skill, I cautiously slipped through the cracks of the building.
Rumble.
A massive machine was moving along the road. As it passed, the cracked and broken pavement was restored to pristine condition. Not that it would matter much once monsters showed up and wrecked it again. I glanced around, but unlike last night, everything was eerily quiet.
‘How can something that noisy not attract any monsters?’
While I was puzzling over that, the machine disappeared into the distance. A moment later, the siren stopped.
Clang, clunk.
Thick barricades that had sealed off the entrances and windows of buildings began to retract. Lights flickered on in the shops across the street, and store owners flung their doors open, sweeping their storefronts as if nothing had happened overnight.
Not just the stores—people were appearing on the streets as well. Cars rolled onto the roads, and even what looked like buses started operating.
“I heard an SS-class monster appeared nearby, but this place looks fine.”
“The 5-B residential district took heavy damage.”
“At least no one got hurt. Ah, Mr. Paik, we need to finish up before sunset, so let’s hurry.”
There was some talk about monsters, but the people themselves looked calm. It was an ordinary street scene.
Most of them were non-Awakened, with a few F~E-class Awakened scattered among them. The mana levels of those Awakened were all low.
After watching the scene in a daze for a moment, I ducked back into the alleyway and deactivated my stealth skill. Just in case, I took out some water and quickly washed my face before stepping out again.
A few people glanced at me but only for a brief moment. It was the kind of fleeting look you’d give a stranger on the street—completely normal.
‘…So monsters don’t come out during the day?’
That seemed like the only reasonable explanation for the atmosphere.
I walked carefully, trying not to stand out. A bus pulled up at a stop, and a crowd of people boarded and disembarked. Storefronts set up signboards and display stands. Office workers filed into a towering building, while the takeout beverage shop beside it bustled with customers.
At first, I thought they were ordering coffee, but the drinks in their clear cups were red or green. Instead of the aroma of coffee, a sweet and refreshing scent filled the air.
Everything seemed so ordinary, so peaceful.
‘This kind of atmosphere should make gathering information easy.’
And first things first—I needed to get something to eat. I was starving. I had no money, though.
Currently, I had 1,000L in my possession.
Several new sub-quests had appeared, so I stepped back into the alley to check if any of them provided a way to earn money. This was kind of a hassle, but I couldn’t exactly stand in the middle of the street waving my hands in the air.
[Sub Quests
- First Purchase at a Store
- First Steps as a Guard
- First Purchase at a Store 2
- First Outing
- Today’s Part-Timer]
A second “First Purchase at a Store” quest had appeared. The first one required buying from the points shop, while the second involved purchasing from a regular store. The rewards were 1,000P and 500L for the first, and 500P and 1,000L for the second.
I should start with the points shop. I opened the shop interface and browsed through the cheaper items.
‘Flash grenade, 350P. Should I get this? There’s also wire. Having a spare would be useful, but it’s expensive…’
It would be best to save my points and only buy items as needed. But I was already short on gear. I had lost a dagger because of that fake Seong Hyunjae. The cheapest dagger here was 1,000P. S-grade poison resistance would be really useful too, but high-grade poison items were ridiculously expensive, even though they were single-use.
There were bombs as well. I wanted them. Oh, a sniper rifle. A trap set! Wait, this ghillie suit stacks with stealth skills. A sleeping bag—I need one. I didn’t need a tent, but at least a sleeping bag. Sleeping on hard, cold ground was killing my back.
‘All of these must be dungeon items that fit into my inventory, but there’s such a variety.’
Damn, there were so many things I wanted to buy, but I had no money. Outside the dungeon, I had plenty. Couldn’t I exchange cash for points? Let me do a cash purchase, please. If this were a game, monetization would be standard. Take my bank account, just let me spend my money. What’s the point of having cash if I can’t use it?
Frustrated, I clutched my chest but settled for purchasing a single flash grenade. Since monsters seemed to be more active at night, they were likely weak against bright light. I could use the grenade in combination with my stealth skill.
After completing the first purchase quest, I checked the other quests. I decided to put off the “First Steps as a Guard” quest for now.
[First Outing
Leave the city! The area beyond the defense wall is dangerous, so prepare thoroughly. A pass is required. Follow the road and reach another city.
Reward: 10,000P, 80,000L, Map]
Judging by the reward, it seemed extremely dangerous. Was the area crawling with monsters? I could avoid S-class ones with my stealth skill, but…
‘From what I overheard, even SS-class monsters appear here.’
That fake Seong Hyunjae was SS-class too. It seemed like the overall monster ranking in this place was higher than in my world. At least one person should still be in this city. If everyone here had advanced to SS-class, I just needed to join up with them… Damn it, Seong Hyunjae, you bastard.
[Today’s Part-Timer
Find a daytime job! Various part-time jobs are available in the city. Experience the joy of labor!
Reward: 500P, Job Recruitment Flyer]
…What the hell. I needed money, but did I really have time to do a part-time job? Still, the flyer reward caught my attention. Since it was an item reward, it felt like I had to complete the quest. There was no way it was just an ordinary recruitment flyer.
In any case, I couldn’t do that quest right now, so I decided to tackle the “Second Purchase at a Store” quest while also getting something to eat. I had a total of 1,500L on hand. Since I didn’t know the value of money here, I stepped into a store that looked like a convenience store.
“Welcome!”
A woman in her late twenties or early thirties greeted me brightly from behind the counter. Did they sell instant noodles here? There were tables, chairs, and even a TV set up in one corner. Perfect—I could eat and gather information at the same time.
A drama was playing on the TV.
[Leave the city? How?]
[I spent my entire fortune hiring an S-class guard. I also prepared a stealth-enhanced transport truck.]
So leaving the city was really dangerous. A stealth-enhanced truck must be expensive. I wondered if I could hijack one somehow.
The store carried a variety of food, but I didn’t see anything resembling cup noodles. There was a machine in one corner that looked like it might function as a microwave, but I couldn’t even figure out how to open it.
With no other choice, I picked up a ready-to-eat sandwich. A grilled foie sandwich, 250L. If I assumed 3,000 won was about the equivalent, then 1,000L would be roughly 12,000 won. Buying this sandwich and claiming my quest reward would leave me with about 27,000 won.
I’d have to sleep outside again tonight. Damn it.
“Hello.”
Carrying the sandwich, I approached the counter with my friendliest smile. Look, I’m not suspicious at all. I just have a few questions.
“Hello,” the store owner replied with an equally friendly smile. She seemed more welcoming than I had expected.
“Last night must have been chaotic.”
“It was. An SS-class monster hadn’t appeared in almost a month, so we had quite a peaceful stretch. Luckily, it was dealt with quickly this time. Last time, even the underground shelters were damaged—it was a real disaster.”
An underground shelter. So the general population took refuge underground at night. That meant monsters only appeared at night, and the guards took care of them while people stayed hidden. Then, during the day, people emerged to go about their daily lives. That was the pattern.
I handed over my card along with the sandwich, and she processed the payment smoothly.
[250L has been deducted.]
A mechanical voice confirmed the transaction.
“Do you happen to know any high-ranking guards who use fire-related skills?”
It was possible that skills had been altered upon entering this world, but the fundamental attributes should still be the same. Since, aside from me, everyone else had supposedly possessed someone already existing in this world, it was highly likely that an S-class or higher guard with fire-related skills would be Yuhyun.
“If you’re looking for a fire-type guard, that would definitely be Alpha of Achates City.”
“Alpha?”
“You don’t know?”
The shop owner asked in surprise. Was this like claiming not to know Yuhyun or Seong Hyunjae while living in Korea? I tried my best to smile naturally before replying.
“I’d rather say I don’t know for now. Could you explain in detail?”
I knew the answer, but I wanted to hear it from her. Saying that felt embarrassing, but thankfully, the shop owner didn’t seem to mind. She smiled back and began to explain.
“Alpha is an SS-class guard from Achates City, just like our Sigma from Solemnise City. He’s a young man, twenty-six years old, and has been awakened for four years. His main skills are fire-based. He’s young and relatively inexperienced, but I’ve heard he’s highly capable.”
That sounded exactly like Yuhyun. Wasn’t that the perfect avatar for him? The problem was…
‘He’s in another city.’
That meant I’d have to leave this city. From the way she spoke, it seemed that each city only had one SS-class guard. Would I have to go on a city tour just to gather my party? The warp gate installation spots also seemed like they’d each be in a separate city.
…Newbie! A beginner should at least be given a mount! Peace, where are you? I need you. You didn’t get mistaken for a monster and attacked, did you? I mean, you are a monster, but still.
‘Solemnise City’s Sigma… That must refer to the fake Seong Hyunjae. It doesn’t seem to be his real name. Maybe SS-class guards are titled based on their city’s name?’
If that was the case, then the title for Medsang City, where I currently was, would be… M-something. I knew Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Theta… Was it Meta?
“Do you have any other questions?”
The shop owner smiled brightly as she asked. She was really friendly. Or… wait. Was she interested in me? Come to think of it, my stats had increased to C-class. Had my face been enhanced? I also felt slightly taller… Or maybe not?
Either way, this was good. I should take this chance to gather more information.
“The City Defense Bureau—do they allow public tours? Like exhibitions about the history of the guards or inscriptions? Not that it sounds particularly exciting.”
“During the day, only certain public service areas are open, but the park nearby is a great place for a walk. It’s not far from here.”
If only public service areas were open, there was a low chance of running into a high-ranking guard. That meant it was safe to visit during the day.
[We will now interrupt this program for an emergency broadcast from the City Defense Bureau.]
At that moment, the drama on the TV was cut off, replaced by a stiff voice. I turned my head to look at the screen, and a familiar face appeared.
“Oh? It’s Lord Sigma. What’s this about?”
Seeing him in a brighter setting, his hair color was definitely darker than the Seong Hyunjae I knew. On screen, he smiled faintly.
[Citizens of Solemnise.]
Just hearing his voice made irritation surge through me again. It could be someone else, but he looked too similar.
‘I could confirm it using “Terrifying Chick Class Teacher,” but that wouldn’t work on people from this world.’
If he were someone else, that would be fine. But if he was actually Seong Hyunjae, conveniently suffering from memory loss, he’d immediately reject it—essentially handing me over on a silver platter. An SS-class rejection would knock me out cold instantly.
I really had no choice. I had to get to Achates City and join up with Yuhyun first.
[Last night, an unregistered Awakened who was supposed to come under my jurisdiction escaped.]
…What? No way. A cold chill ran down my spine.
[He is a black-haired, black-eyed, C-class male Awakened wearing red earrings. His height is average for his class, with fair skin and a delicate appearance, estimated to be in his early to mid-twenties. For the safety of our city, please report any sightings immediately.]
…Shit. Wait a minute.
As Seong Hyunjae disappeared from the screen, a banner appeared at the bottom, announcing a bounty: 5 million L for a confirmed report, 100 million L for capture.
You fake Seong Hyunjae, you son of a bitch!!!
I turned my head in panic. My eyes met the shop owner’s. She stared at me, stunned, before slowly reaching for what looked like a phone.
I was screwed.
“…You wouldn’t believe me if I said it wasn’t me, would you?”
“Hello, City Defense Bureau?!”
Yep, thought so.
I snatched my sandwich and card off the counter and spun around. Activating my stealth skill, I bolted out into the street.
Damn you, fake Seong Hyunjae!
love how they find a way to annoy and bother eachother no matter the setting